


Breaking Point

by Sebastina_Michaelis



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, gabenath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-20 16:43:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21059879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sebastina_Michaelis/pseuds/Sebastina_Michaelis
Summary: Everyone has their limit and Nathalie has reached hers. No matter how hard she's tried to convince herself that she's content serving Gabriel, she can't bring herself to do it anymore after seeing nothing but setbacks. Will Gabriel stop chasing after the life he once had, or will the two part ways forever.





	1. Chapter 1

In the moment, waking up alone in the guest room was more than you could bear. How much longer were things going to continue like this? Every time you thought you were finally getting somewhere, there was always some setback. Some new problem that had been lurking in the shadows. Gabriel wasn't any closer to getting Emilie back. He also wasn't any closer to wanting to move past her.

No matter how many times you told yourself harboring these feelings wouldn't get you anything, the realization never hit you until now. You couldn't take it any more. All you wanted was a normal job. You waned to settle down when the time came and live a simple life. Now everything had gotten away from you and all you did was sit back and let it happen.

How were you supposed to take control back? No mater how bruised and tired you were, you still couldn't shake your desire to be by his side.

You shake your head to yourself and hug your knees to your chest. The room spun around you. No matter how tightly you shut your eyes it just wouldn't stop. You could already hear Gabriel trying to get you to lay back down.

You didn't want him to worry about you anymore. As much as the distance would have hurt, you couldn't do this anymore. The price was too high after all.

“You're awake.” You glance at Gabriel out of the corner of your eyes. He eases the door shut and sets a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin on the nightstand. He looked as bad as you felt. There were deep bags under his eyes and his shirt was wrinkled. You wouldn't have been surprised if he didn't sleep last night.

A sigh rises in your chest. There was no sense in both of you being run ragged. Adrien didn't need to be worried about both of you.

Gabriel eases himself onto the edge of the bed. He glances at your back, but you stop him from touching the bruise you were certain was there. “It's fine.”

He clears his throat and straightens. “Are you feeling alright? Maybe you should rest a little longer.”

You shake your head. “I'll be fine.” The room spinning was the only thing stopping you from getting up. It'd pass, you knew that, this was just a hell of a time for it. You wanted to go home. Gabriel being here was the only thing that breathed some sort of life into this crypt-like house. You couldn't stand the thought of waking up here alone again.

You close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Your hearts pounds in your chest. Anxiety starts creeping over you but at the very least the room finally stopped spinning.

You shrug off Gabriel's hand and inch towards the edge of the bed. You needed to do this now or you knew you'd loose your nerve. “I quit.”

You reach around him and grab the bottle of the night stand, trying to ignore his piercing gaze. “You quit what?”

Gabriel's tone had shifted to a colder one. The harder you tried to focus on opening the bottle the worse your hands started to shake. “Everything. I don't want to be Mayura anymore, and I can't continue to be your assistant.”

The silent that followed unnerved you. You couldn't bring yourself to look at Gabriel. What was he thinking?

Gabriel slips the bottle from your hands. You stare intently at the creases in the quilt. He takes your hand and tips a few pills into it before closing your hand around them. “I think you should reconsider. Partially at least. It was selfish of me to ever get you involved in all of this, but... I need you here, Nathalie.”

You pull your hand away from his. “That doesn't change anything. I can't be here. How can you keep saying things like that and expect me to stay here while you chase after someone else. I can't...take it anymore. I'm not strong enough.”

You cover you face with your hands and take a few shaky breaths. Don't do this. Stop crying.

The harder you tried to stop the worse you started to feel. This was supposed to be a clean break. You needed it to be a clean break. You wished Gabriel would say something. Or leave you to it. Anything would have been better than him sitting there.

The bed shifts. Gabriel hesitantly rubs the small of your back. “I hadn't considered...” He trails off, sounding miles away from what was currently going on.

You quietly thank him when you had calmed down and stand. Gabriel remains on the bed, as you gather you clothes and take the aspirin he had given you. “You're going home?”

“Yes.” Pain flared up in various parts of your body as you pulled your pants on, and your sweater. You didn't even bother with your blazer and no matter how hard you tried your hair just wouldn't cooperate. You needed a shower.

“Nathalie?” You rest your hand on the door and glance at Gabriel. “I think you should reconsider. Take some time off, but I would like to revisit this...conversation at a more appropriate time.”

You found it hard to think of just when that more appropriate time would be. But you didn't feel right leaving things how they were. As much as you wanted follow your whim to pack up and leave, there was nothing practical about it. Some time off would let you properly think things through. Both of you could properly think things through. “If that's what you want.” You pull the door open. “I'll see myself out.”


	2. Chapter 2

You'd be lying if you said you weren't a little nervous when Adrien asked if you could still go to the movies with him. He was already stuck in the middle of you and Gabriel's falling out. You wouldn't want to further put him out by canceling plans with him. Especially when he was so quick to accept that you were leaving for your health.

The thought of seeing Gabriel again put you on edge. It felt like nothing had changed despite you being gone for almost a week. You didn't feel like quitting anymore, more for Adrien's sake than Gabriel's, but you also knew that it'd only be a matter of time before you got wrapped up in his schemes again. You didn't want to end up back at square one.

You shake your head to yourself and try to push such thoughts from your head. When the time came, then you could deal with what was going to happen between you two. Until then, Adrien was all you needed to worry about.

You let yourself in and linger in the foyer. Something about it didn't feel right. Should you have knocked? It wasn't like you weren't unannounced or unwelcome, but you didn't work here. At least not currently.

Adrien and Gabriel's voices carrying out of his office distracted you from overthinking yourself into heading back outside. “...me and Nathalie.”

“And it's only a movie?”

“Yes, father.” You knock on the door frame before Gabriel could launch another volley of questions at Adrien. “And she's here now, don't want to be late.”

Adrien turns, but Gabriel stops him short of dragging you out into the foyer again. He fishes the keys for the car out of his desk drawer. “Here, take the car at least. We all know what happens when Adrien decides he's taking the train.”

“Alright.” You take the keys from him. “The movie is only a couple hours, he'll be back around two.” You glance at Adrien over our shoulder. “Have you eaten lunch yet?”

The sheepish smile he flashes you says it all. You sigh and shake your head to yourself. “Make that three, if that's alright.”

Gabriel stares at his monitor, the design he had been working on reflects back in his glasses. After a moments deliberation, he waves you off and goes back to sketching. “That's fine. Do what you want.”

You turn sharply and you both head outside. “Would you like to eat first and go to a later screening? Or movie first?”

Adrien climbs into the front seat beside you, and slips on his seat belt. He hums thoughtfully while rechecking movie times. You pull out of the driveway while he decides your next course of action.

Knowing Adrien hadn't changed a bit brought you small amount of comfort. It was easy to pretend this was just a normal Saturday afternoon. Come to think of it when was the last time you went to the movie with him? You were the only reason Gabriel let him go. “Lunch first. The next screening is at one.”

Adrien fiddles with the radio while you drive. Every now and then he'd text someone, but who it was was anyone's guess. Just when yo thought you had a handle on who he was friends with he'd mention someone you hadn't heard of in ages.

You pull into a stall near a local café and choose a seat on the terrace. It wasn't until after you had ordered that Adrien broke the silence between you. “I'm really happy you could still come this weekend Nathalie. Are you feeling any better?”

Now that you had the time to rest, and properly heal, you felt like you were fine. You still had your moments, but they were far less frequent that they had been. Some days it was like you had never set down this path at all. “Much. I suppose I should have listened to you two sooner.”

Adrien hesitates as drinks and a basket of cheese puffs are set in front of you. “You aren't going to quit then?”

“Hm? No, what would give you that idea.”

“That's...” Adrien crams a cheese puff into his mouth, choosing his next words very carefully. Had he overheard you and Gabriel talking? You didn't remember seeing him when you left but... you couldn't say you were looking for him either. In the moment you were trying to focus on getting home and nothing more. “You just looked really upset when you left. When my father said you were taking some time off, I figured you weren't going to come back. He went through a lot of assistants before you came along. I figured you finally had enough.” He shrugs, taking a sip of water.

You should have known Adrien would pick up on something. He wasn't as unaware as you liked to believe he was. Underestimating him all the time wouldn't do any good for either of you. “It's true, we did have a disagreement, but it's nothing worth quitting over. I like my job, even if you two are a handful.”

Adrien cracks a smile, his worry slowly melting away. “Hey, I don't sneak out as much anymore.”

“No, but when you do, you always manage to pick the worst times.” You shake your head to yourself. Adrien laughs quietly, cramming another cheese puff in his mouth.

_That settles that at least._ Even if you and Gabriel couldn't set your differences aside, you wanted to be there for Adrien. Nathalie could do at least that much. He had already lost so much, you didn't want to be another thing he could add to that list.


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien made a hasty retreat to his room after thanking you again for the movie. You found it hard to wrap your head around how people could follow akuma attacks so religiously. But who were you to talk? They became less novel when you found out what was really going on when they happened.

You close the front door and wander towards Gabriel's office, keys in hand. Despite your absence, Hawkmoth had been quite busy this week. What was Gabriel up to this time? Usually he needed some time to regroup after akumatizing someone. This sort of rapid fire, felt like it was leading up to something.

You set the keys on top of his desk and move towards your own. Nothing had changes, apart from a few pens and sheets of paper scattered around. Gabriel had scribbled down some notes about his schedule that you sent him and noted where things needed to be moves. Whether he actually did it or not was a different story. A much as he'd say he didn't want to do this, or refused to attend another event hosted by so and so, he did it anyway.

You shake your head to yourself and drop down into your chair. Whether you liked it or not, you wouldn't be getting home anytime soon. At the very least you wanted to make yourself comfortable well out of harms way.

As your computer turned on, you found yourself staring at the painting of Emilie. How were things going down there? You didn't need the news on to have a general idea, but who knows? Maybe today was the day Gabriel would actually achieve his goals.

You tune in to a news stream, as Nadja announced the arrival of Cat Noir. You found it hard to keep your attention focused on Mr. Pigeon. He must have been causing some sort of trouble if he was actually getting news coverage, but your mind kept wandering back to Gabriel. You'd glance at Emilie's painting, curious about what he was doing but not enough so to actually leave your desk. When you started the day you hadn't intended to put all your ducks in a row, but you were slowly getting there.

Eventually you tune out the news altogether. Several times you had typed up a text to Gabriel telling him Adrien was home and the keys were on his desk but never got around to sending it. The book you were reading stayed on the same page throughout the process. As hard as you tried to focus, the words flew right by you. You quickly gave up but left your phone open to where you had left off. You could at least pretend you were doing something.

You yank open your bottom drawer and rummage through your bag of candy, until you found a flavor you liked.

The panel in the floor sliding open startled you. Gabriel freezes in adjusting his ascot, locking eyes with you. “You're here.”

You nod, tossing the wrapper in the trash and moving the jawbreaker to the other side of your mouth. “I didn't know if the trains had stopped.” You close out the news. Gabriel lingers behind his desk as you gather your things again. The only thing that stopped you from leaving was him coming to sit beside you. You offer him the bag. He wordlessly pulls a purple out a purple one but doesn't open it.

Gabriel didn't seem as down as he usually did when his akumas failed. Then again, this was...was? The 30th time they had take down Mr. Pigeon? Did he really expect that much? It's almost like he did this out of boredom. “Adrien's in his room.”

He nods solemnly, turning the candy over in his hands, before finally turning his attention to you. “Have you put anymore thought into not quitting?”

“I have.” You lean back in your chair and angle it towards him. “And I think it was a rather hasty decision to make. You weren't wrong. You need me. You _both_ need me. But, as much as I want to see this through to the end, I can't be Mayura anymore.”

“Of course.” He hesitantly rests his hand on top of yours. “It was selfish of me to get you involved in the first place. I always knew that but... I never put much thought into it until now.”

Gabriel takes a deep breath and straightens, pulling away from you. “When I set out on this path, I was so sure of what I was doing and certain of what the result would be. I've overlooked a lot of things since then. I don't know where I'm going or what my future will hold anymore; but I don't want you to have to keep suffering for my sake. I cherish the time we've spent together, but I can't promise you anything, Nathalie. If that means we are to part ways, then I wont try to stop you.”

Gabriel was rarely this sincere. When you set forward with all this, you didn't think anything would really come of it. Even now with everything hanging in the balance, you found it hard to expect something wholeheartedly. You couldn't pretend to understand what he could be going through, and you certainly couldn't expect him to just decide to leave his wife to her fate. You couldn't force things. What happened happened, but this was a step in the right direction. You truly believed that. “And I won't ask you to. I realize I have put you in an unfair position as well, but I appreciate you indulging me through all of this; it must not have been easy. Whatever you decide Gabriel, I'm not going anywhere.”

“Thank you. Nathalie.” He lingers by your side as you gather your things and stand. Was there more? It was impossible to tell what he could have been thinking.

You edge around him. “I'll see you Monday, with coffee and pastries of your choosing.”

“That sounds nice.” Gabriel hesitantly pulls you into a hug. His heart pounded beneath you and the smell of his cologne slowly enveloped you. “Monday then.”

You nod firmly as he releases you. “Bright and early.”


End file.
